Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-04-30

/ Us Ns~fSsu8 W sssO uS<Sso0 VI 0sO OONUs ubu
not then know that the poet l.ousHsllow hat
the same feeling, and indeed he'd recorded
the positive wish 70 b crsmatsd himsel
after death. Yet such In the casA Undel
date Of October q, lSii, he wrote these dsn
mite and unmistakable words: al woulC
like n b. burned, not buried" himself un
dsrscoring the worda
Did he change bis mind In latsr years, Ol
Why was his wish not carried out1
Although II was new discovery for mo tt
nnd this wish Of our dearest poet recorded ID
note 10 bis poem "God's Acre" II va
scarcely surprise 70 ma II would bs much
more surprising 70 hear Of any true p,et mol
preferring the beautiful and poeticslly sug
gestive method OF 9, emstion 70 the ait0gethel
more prOsaic and indeed sbhorrsnt mode ol
earth burial I am therefore glad that Mr.
1.onsiellow has been put on record, by The
editor Of the fusl edition OF his complets
workS - In favor Of cremation.
This n, however, only one Of Q hundred
new and important facts concerning Ameri
cas- iavorite post, his thoughts, ssntiments
circumstances aud works, which are given u
us in this grand edition OF bis collected writ
inga For the new Riversidc Edition II Z
grand achievement In more respects than
one.
In the first place, though not protesting n
be an edition de fure,-or ~ friend OF mine
Insists on pronOuncing IT, edition for looks
1t IL one OF the most perfect specimens Of
book making a. . fine art ever produced In
our country. The size and proportion OF the
volumes, crown octave, ranging from about
two hundred and city 10 nearly five hund red
pages per volume, 10 most con veniont for use,
and and .t the same time pleasing 70 the eya
Tho chsste binding, in deep green cloth with
q little gliding and ornamentatiOn ~ possi
sibe, II elegant and dignitied In its simple.
ity. ! don't think the paper, for texture and
tint, has ever been equallsd In any American
book, certainly never surpassed for excellence
In every respect 1t II equnl tn the finest
have ever seen even In ths bost English pub
licAtiona Finally, tho typography, large,
opep, clear, and OF faultless accuracy, Is q dc.
light 70 the oye. II 10 work over which the
book lover cannot keep from grow Ing tnthu.
siastic and even rhspsodicaL
In the second place, the new Ripcrside Edi.
tion affords an example Of editorial good taste
and judgment a crafty Ing o. 1t IL rare and
about the only thing l am inclined to find
fault with in his work il the editors anony.
nifty. His name deserves q place on the
title page, or at least In the preface or intro.
fest nearly on every page, a. often by what
ne restraints himself from writing ~ by what
he actually does write. For nowhere does he
obtrude even line OF comment of his own,
either In the head and foot notes or in the
notes on the subject matter of the text, ex.
cept whore II IL absolutely required for q full
understanding of the history Of the various
writings or OF tho Development OF the poets
was possible, Mr.. Longfellow's own words
are used, - gathered from bis own notes
prefaces, aud memoranda that have come 70
light since his death. The order Of the writ.
absolutely; for Mr. LongisIlow's own fnsi
arrangement is acrupulOusly adhered TO, ex.
copt that oil his trsnslsiions have been
grouped together In separate section.
The first two volums, contain his prose
works complete: Vol. ]. "Oatre Mer" and
"Driit. WOOD" besides, in tue Appendix y
List Of Miscellaneous Papers, aud The Blank
Book OF Country Schoolmsster, and Notes
To " Outre- Msr" and "Driit Wood Vol II
"Hyperion" and "KsvAnagh." A re.readinR
OF these, especially OF Vol l., convinces me
Of the truth and justice OF what Prot Richard.
son says OF them in his "American Litsra.
ture." 81 do not think" he writes, "the
service OF Longiellow In the matter OF the de.
velopment OF American criticism and culture,
has ever been sufficiently recogp lied. As
poet, he has been aud still 10 the most popu.
thL Va HuloIt0u WIItcIb Az TOtDoOC6I, ana
even a. . writer OF sketches OF travel, he has
his smaller public OF spprecisttve readera
We do not, however, often think OF him ~
promoter OF culture, OF the knowledge OF gen.
eral European literature, and therefore OF the
incipient critical spirit Ia the United States.
In regard to these things II may be doubted
whether We owe more to any other man.
Longfellow was OF academic training he had
occupied . professors chair in two OF the
principal colleges OF New England he had
lived in Europe for . considerable time, ia
inilisrizing himself with the Old Worlds
history, legends, rOmances, scenery, and
men and women. Few Americans were 10
we'll acquainted with the literature Of France,
Germany, Italy, and Spain. His split was
gentle aud sympathetic, inclintng him to
studies OF broad range Certainly no was NO
scholastic iconoclast, but the very tenderness
OF his mind made him catholic tempered.
Breadth and cstholicity OF real knowledge
wero precisely the things OF which America
stood In need in the decade after $780,"
Take but one instance OF his service TO
American literary culture, his essay on
"Auglo saxon Literature" In Dr,n. Wood,
written In 1888. "At that time 'scholars' re-.
garded Anglo-SAxon much o. they regard
lcelandic at the present day: not dreaming
that 1t 10 simply the irst English, and that
without its study no Intelligent kno Wedge OF
our language or literature can be attained,
Long before the day OF Sisvers In Germany,
Sweet in England, or March in America,
Professor LoDgtellOw gave an intelligent &C.
count OF the literature OF our remote tore.
fathers, Justly estimating its spirit and
achievements, translsting = few OF its best
Pssssges, and making the whole essay su Ut.
!Isctivs one Tor nsce.ssrily ignorant readers,
pstronizing tone" This esssy, therefore,
really introduced the study OF Anglo saxon
literature TO America